Catching Up: Moscone, White & Milk, City Slogans, Ireland

My apologies for being away form the IJ blog ever since my New Years trip to the Republic of Ireland.

From my column on the flick Milk. I received reader comments pointing out additional Marin connections to Dan White, Mayor George Moscone and of course Harvey Milk:

Marin Community Foundation president Dr. Tom Peters at the time worked for the San Francisco Police Department as a physiologist. He interviewed Dan White immediately after his arrest.

San Rafaels Jim Molinari was a member of the San Francisco Police Department security detail guarding Mayor Moscone. Of course Moscone was perceived as safe at City Hall. Who would have thought that former supervisor Danny White would have gone nuts and turned into an assassin.

Last, Supervisor Hall Browns cousin, Jeff Brown was then San Franciscos elected Public Defender. When White was arrested, Brown rushed to the Hall of Justice. Despite being a friend of Moscone and Milks, Brown insisted that since White didnt have an attorney, he, Brown as Public Defender, had a right and duty to see him. The police wouldnt let Brown in, but his highly professional action to do his professional duty to assist Dan White, one of the most despised individuals ever to set foot in the Fog City, demonstrated what most San Francisco insiders always knew: Jeff Brown is class act.

While I was away, I had a few additional e-mail suggestions for Marin city and town slogan from a variety of readers:

Sausalito: The reason they built the Golden Gate Bridge.
Belvedere: “We Look Down On Tiburon.”
Novato: “We Too Have A Trader Joe’s.”
Mill Valley: “Take East Blithedale Road, stay for the Weekend.”
Bolinas: “Anybody Home?”
Fairfax: “Just A Lot Out There.”

Last, an Irish thought The Irish people have always been huge supporters of America. The United States has few better friends abroad. Its the rare Irishman who doesnt have an American relative. That said, everywhere I went in the Irish Republic people respectfully congratulated me on Barrack Obamas win, along with the inevitable comment that they couldnt believe we ever allowed George W. a second term. It turns out that our distinguished soon to be ex-president is loathed by the average citizens of our closest European ally.

Dick,
Your description of Marin cities should lead to popular perception of Mainites, famous for being considered “NIMBYS”. The Nimbys have been joined by:
a. NOPEs (Nowhere on Planet Earth)
b. BANANAs (Build Almost Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone)
c. CAVEs (Citizens Against Virtually Everything); and
d. SCUMMIs (Socially Committed Until My Money’s Involved)

By the way, when we were in Ireland almost 3 years ago, we got the same response to our current President that you did.